The author, Professor K. G. Umansky, is a neuropathologist of high repute with many years of research and practice in this field of medicine and a wide knowledge of the neuropathological problems so often encountered in today's stressed world. In this book he acquaints the general reader, in an easily understood and readable form, with the most frequent disorders of the nervous system and their treatment. Among them are insomnia, headache, sciatica and lumbago, certain trauma-induced diseases of the nervous system, infectious diseases (such as encephalitis, poliomyelitis, meningitis, etc.), disturbances of cerebral circulation (high pressure, stroke, etc), and several other disturbances of the nervous system. He examines the main causes of these diseases and gives advices on how to recognize the signs of such diseases in oneself. In a world where people look upon drugs as the universal cure for every ailment, and where drug abuse often leads to dangerous consequences, Profes­ sor Umansky reminds us of old, forgotten reme­ dies that are both effective and harmless. He also gives advice on simple preventive measures. This book is intended for the general public.

 

 This book is not a manual on nervous disor­ders and not a universal reference book for every emergency. It tells its readers about neuropathology—one of the main branches of medicine, that is very closely connected with all the other spheres of medical knowl­edge.

 

The book was translated from the Russian by P. Chernilovskaya and was first published by Mir in 1989.

Contents

PREFACE 7

I AM A NEUROPATHOLOGIST 9

DANGER SIGNALS 17

ERRORS OF NATURE OR OUR OWN MISTAKES? 69

TESTING FOR STRENGTH 98

DO YOU SLEEP WELL? 146

A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND KILOMETERS 1 6 6

ETERNAL WAR? 202

WE CANNOT CHANGE YOUR NATURE 247

IN VINO VERITAS? 281

CONFRONTATION WITH THE TIMES 305